The last time Qualcomm Stadium hosted a big ticket international club match it featured some of the world’s biggest stars.

San Diego soccer fans got to see Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Karim Benzema and Mesut Ozil among others. They faced Mexico’s Chivas de Guadalajara in an international friendly last July that was part of the World Football Challenge.

Things were a bit different Saturday night. There were no rock star caliber players in the summer version of the San Diego Clasico, an exhibition match typically featuring Mexican Primera Division clubs. This time, the Clasico had local flavor.

Club Tijuana Xolitzcuintles and Club America played to a 1-1 draw in front of a split crowd of 19,880. It was the Xolos’ first time playing in Mission Valley. Tijuana played in the last two Clasicos at the 6,000 seat USD Torero Stadium, including a match against the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2010 featuring David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

But playing in a larger venue doesn’t guarantee an entertaining brand of futbol. The Xolos and Club America are preparing for the upcoming league tournament. That meant both clubs came in with a plan, play the starters for a half then use the allotted unlimited subs in the final 45 minutes.

Club America, one of Mexico’s most popular and wealthy clubs, substituted its entire line up at the start of the second half.

It was late into that half when the action picked up after a mostly lethargic 82 minutes.

Club America’s Miguel Layun scored in the 83rd minute while Xolos striker Fidel Martinez evened the score four minutes later via a penalty kick.

Layun sent a right-footed blast from just inside the 18-yard box past Xolos backup goalkeeper Adrian Zermeno. Martinez converted his PK after he was tackled near the penalty kick spot. It was Martinez’ first score as a Xolo since the Ecuadorian was transferred to the team this summer.

“It had to come at some point,” Martinez said. “Glad it happened tonight.”

The evenly divided crowd erupted into frenzy after both a scores.

Tijuana fans got to see most of the team’s starters into the 66th minute, making changes at the half. Sweetwater High alum and Xolos midfielder Joe Corona played the first 45 minutes, adding another milestone to his career. It was the first time the 21-year-old played at the “Q” as a pro.

Unlike American football, the California Interscholastic Federation doesn’t play its San Diego Section championships at the stadium. Corona led Sweetwater to a boys soccer section title as a champion, playing it at Helix High.

“It’s a good experience to play in front of your family in a place where I used to come and watch Mexico and the United States play here,” Corona said. “It’s nice to play where you imagined you would play some day.”

Mater Dei Catholic High alum Alejandro Guido also saw action along with a handful of backups and reserves. Guido, is part of the Xolos’ youth system and member of the United States Under-18 squad that played in last year’s Under-17 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

Club America, also known as “Las Aguilas” or the Eagles, used the entire roster from their Under-20 squad in the second half. Even the backups to the U-20 team saw some action, a different affair from Real Madrid-Chivas last summer.